I pick…

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12KNGMkjLXa7-UPrf2wXST_-GuLNCVC8C7xvwZSwctLI/edit

Word Count - 509

Picked Option 5 for the prompt cause I wasn't super inspired by the others

The runes sat there in the creature's palm, glowing faintly. All roughly circular in shape with a unique sigil in the center of each one.

“Pick the prettiest one, huh?”

The woman looks into the creature's eyes, taking stock of its reaction. She’s not entirely sure who it thinks it’s fooling, it looks entirely menacing. Not like anyone with a grin that crazed comes with news of sunshine and rainbows. Her ears twist back and her wings shift restlessly as her annoyance builds. Just her luck to get stuck in a dream with a freak-of-nature monster.

The woman - almost humorously named Rune - gazes back down at the stones, her eyes narrowing. The prettiest one would be a tough choice considering none looked that great. Definitely handmade, she thinks, probably not worth very much. Items of high value were the only thing that interested the vain and greedy Rune. Or maybe they were valuable. As if everyone gets offered dream runes from a weird cat… thing. Or they’re utterly worthless, how could she even take it from the dream?

The creature seems impatient, gesturing with their hand. “Take one. Pick any of them.” It says. It sounds too excited, too eager for her to pick. The voice is sharp and echoes too much in the space around them, if she didn’t have it in her sights it could’ve come from anywhere. This whole situation sets her teeth on edge and her wings ache with a need to stretch, to do anything to get this anxious energy out of her system.

“No, thank you.” She decides, shaking her head. “I don’t need your little arts and crafts project.” She huffs, her ear twitching in annoyance.

“But… you have to pick!” It exclaims, now attempting to stuff a rune into her hand itself. “There’s no leaving without picking! Pick!” It stamps its foot on the ground a few times. It looked petulant and like a whiny child at this point, further solidifying the woman’s choice. The reaction she got says it all, picking was definitely the wrong choice.

“I’d like to go home now.” She tells it, igniting another bout of righteous fussing from the creature.

“No, no, no!” It cries, stomping the ground once again. “You don’t get to pick that! You don’t, you don’t!” Over and over again it yells and shouts and complains, the runes disappearing in a shimmer of light as it continues to rage, reminiscent of the stories from her childhood of powerful creatures who tried to trick you and finding the loophole driving it to fits of wailing.

Soon enough the creature finishes its gnashing of teeth, curse flinging, and other childish behaviors its gaze turns back to Rune, teeth bared and claws out. If it couldn’t trick her then she wouldn’t get to leave anyways.

She can’t even react by the time she’s been tackled, sending them both to the floor, the creature cursing her name with its claws poised to strike. Rune shuts her eyes just before impact and—

“Hey, you. You’re finally awake.”